Springing means for vehicles or the like



July 27, 1937. 'K. RABE SPRINGING MEANS FOR VEHICLES OR THE LIKEOriginal Filed July 2 6, 1-955 INVENTOR- KARL PABE ATTOR/Vf) PatentedJuly 27, 1937 UNITED STATES SPRJNGING MEANS FOR VEHICLES OR THE KarlBabe, Stuttgart, Germany Original application July 26, 1935, Serial No.

737,099. Divided and this application June 1936, Serial No. 1933 12Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in springing means for vehiclesor the like, and is a division of my copending application S. N.737,099, filed July 26, 1935, entitled springing arrangements for motorcars and the like.

An object of my invention is the provision of springing means forvehicles which are an improvement over those now known and utilized inthe art.

A further object of my invention is the provision of improved springingmeans for vehicles using an elastic material, such as rubber, as thespringing means.

Another object of my invention is the provision of improved springingmeans for vehicles which includes inherent damping action.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of unitary compactspringing means for the wheels of a vehicle, which may be readilyrenewed or replaced as a unit. Other objects will appear from thefollowing description of an illustrative embodiment of the inventiontaken together with the attached drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a spring ing means formedaccording to the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the lines II-II of Fig. i.

In the constructional example of my invention illustrated in thedrawing, a hollow cylindrical tube l of rubber or other suitable elasticmaterial is inserted between a shaft member 1 and a concentric tubularmember 9. To one end of, the shaft member I is attached a trunnion 2 ofan arm which, in turn, may act as the wheel supporting means of avehicle. At the opposite end of the shaft 1 is attached a disc-likemember 3. By means of the members 2 and 3 the shaft 1 is thereforeindependently joumaled within the'concentric tube 9. The means ofattachment of members 2 and 3 to shaft 1 is of no particular importance.They are shown, however, as connected'by means of a profiled surface onthe shaft inter-engaging corresponding profiles on the members 2 and 3.Key members 5 and i may be provided to guard against axial displacement.v

The hollow rubber member I is preferably inserted between the shaft 1and tubular member 3 by pressing the same in between with a-twist, sothat the final relative position of the rubber memberl with relation tosh aft I and tubular member 3 is that illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein thearches l2 illustrate the distorted position of shaft member 1 and themembers 2 and 3 with 87,647. In Germany July 13,

the rubber. Itwill be thus seen that the rubber. is given an initialtangential stress; the twisted position of the rubber will be maintainedwhile there is no load upon the lever arm 5, due to the fact that therubber as twisted will be confined 5 able means as a flanget.

Upon movement of the arm 5, due to vertical movement of the wheel, forceis transmitted so as to tend to rotate the shaft member 1. Due to thefrictional engagement between the shaft member 1 and the rubber tube I,the arcs l2, which are illustrative of the tangential forces present inthe twisted rubber, will be either lengthened or shortened correspondingto the direction of twist.

'I'he'angle of swing of the shaft member 1 shown in Fig. 2 as u is soselected that the frictional contact between the rubber member I and theshaft 1 and tubular member 9 is not exceeded. Accordingly, the twistingof rubber member I acts as the springing means for the wheel attached atthe end of arm 5.

The improved structure described above has the advantage that it notonly provides adequate springing for the wheels of a vehicle but alsodue to the initial twist given the elastic material it is self damping,and by the use of such a structure special additional damping means arenot required, as contrasted with constructions which have beenheretofore proposed.

As a rule, it will not be necessary to secure the respect to the sleeve9, as any lateral pressure A which may occur upon the shaft member 8 isreadily absorbed by the adhesion forces of the rubber member I. v Bymeans of my improved construction it will 45 readily be seen that therubber member I is subject only to the torsional forces imposedthereupon. Any other forces, with the exception ofthe lateral force A,will be taken care of by the journaling of shaft 1 in tubular member 9by the members 2 and 3. No bending of the rubber due, for example, tothe vehicle load, can take place and by thus conserving the propertiesof the elastic material for springing function only, the same will givegreater service with less wear and breakdown.

in the tubular member 9, they act to keep dirt and water from coming incontact with the elastic material. The latter is accordingly totallyenclosed and its life is therefore materially increased.

Attention is directed to the fact that my improved springing means is soconstructed that it may readily be taken out and replaced as a unit.This is obviously of great importance, where due to wear, consequentreplacement may become necessary.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the form describedandillustrated. The arm 5 may be replaced by any suitable means such,for example, as a parallelogram. It is not necessary that the springingarrangement be placed transversely of the frame, but, if desired, may bepositioned at any angle thereto and, in fact, may be longitudinal to theframe with the swinging halfaxle and the wheel thereon describing anarc.

The term frame as herein used, is not to be understood as limited tosuch a device when formed separate from the body or coach work of thevehicle, but including such device when formed as a part of orintimately interconnected with the body or coach work of the vehicle.

It will be seen that I have provided a construction which satisfies theobjects enumerated above and one which constitutes the valuable advancein the art; While I have shown the invention in a certain physicalembodiment, it is to be understood that modifications of the structureshown may be madeby those skilled in this art without departing from myinvention as expressed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary replaceable spring unit for vehicles and the like,comprising an inner cylindrical member, an outer tubular member, and anormally tangentially stressed tubular elastic member located betweenand frictionally engaging each of said inner and outer members.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in which said elastic member ismade of rubber.

3. In a vehicle having a frame and a wheel, in combination, means forsupporting said wheel relative to said frame, including a unitaryreplaceable spring unit, comprising an inner cylindrical member, anouter tubular member, and a normally tangentially stressed tubularelastic member located between and frictionally engaging each of saidinner and outer members.

4. A combination according to claim 3 in which said elastic member ismade of rubber.

5. Wheel springing and supporting means for vehicles having a framecomprising a normally tangentially stressed tubular rubber member, andmeans for connecting the inner portion of said tubular member to saidwheel, and means for connecting the outer portion to said frame.

6. A unitary replaceable spring unit for vehicles and the like,comprising an inner cylindrical member, an outer tubular member, anormally stressed tubular elastic member located between andfrictionally engaging each of said inner and outer members, and wheelsupporting means attached to said inner cylindrical member and journaledin said outer tubular member.

7. A unitary replaceable spring unit for vehicles and the like,comprising an inner cylindrical member, an outer tubular member, anormally stressed tubular elastic member located between andfrictionally engaging each of said inner and outer members, and means atopposite ends of said inner cylindrical member for journaling the samein said outer tubular member.

8. A unitary replaceable spring unit for vehicles and the like,comprising an inner cylindrical member, an outer tubular member, anormally stressed tubular elastic member located between andfrictionally engaging each of said inner and outer members, means at oneend of said inner cylindrical member for journaling the same in saidouter tubular member and forming a wheel supporting member, and means atthe other end of said inner cylindrical member for journaling the samein said outer tubular member.

9. In a vehicle having a frame and a wheel,'in combination, means forsupporting said wheel relative to said frame, comprising an innercylindrical member, an outer tubular member, and a normally tangentiallystressed tubular elastic member located between and frictionallyengaging each of said inner and outer members.

10. The combination according to claim 9 including means at oppositeends of said inner cylindrical member for journaling said outer tubularmember.

11. The combination according to claim 5 including means for journalingsaid first means within said second means.

12. In a vehicle, in combination, a frame including a hollow tubularmember, wheel supporting means comprising an outer tubular memberpositioned within and attached to said hollow tubular frame member, aninner cylindrical member, means at opposite ends of said innercylindrical member for journaling the same in said outer tubular member,and a normally stressed tubular elastic member located between andfrictionally engaging each of said inner and outer members.

KARL BABE.

the same in

